Life-saving suit.



F. A. ROBERTS.

LIFE SAVING SUIT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1a, 1913.

lylj., l Patented Aug.`11,1914.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Winamax annu/vio@ F. A. ROBERTS.

LIFE sAvING SUIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1913. 1,106,728.. Patented Aug 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

55%. Ma @Pg IIIA Illa l Z F. A. ROBERTS.

LIFE SAVING SUIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1a, 1913.

LGQS. Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES.

FREDRICK A. ROBERTS, OFDICKEY, NORTH DAKOTA.

LIFE-savino, sUIir.-

Appmat'n mea may To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK A. ROBERTS,

citizen of the United4 States, residing at Dickey, in the county of Lamoure and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Suits, of which the following is a specication.

This inventionrelates to `life saving suits and has as its primary aim to provide a suit which may be packed away in a relatively small space and consequently be convenf himl from the water and from the elements.

Another aim of the invention is to provide means for holding the body portion of the su'it spaced from the wearer so that the pressure of the water will not discomfort the wearer and this spacing of the suit serves the further purpose of keeping the wearer warmer than if it were allowed to snugly lit the body. Furthermore by spacing the suit from the wearer at and about the waist-line the suit is rendered buoyant without theneof providing cumbersome cork floats l or pneumatic floats.

For a full Figure 1 is a perspective Fig. 8 is a rear view of the helmet.

A Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated;

Specication of Letters Patent'. I Patented Aug. jiji, 1914i,

13, 1913. Serial N0. 767,484.

in all the views of the drawing the same reference characters.

-In the drawings the body of thesuit is in# dicated by the numeral 1 andv is made of rub- 1 ber, rubber cloth, or any suitable water proof fabric, and it is preferable that the suit be seamless, or rather that such4 seams as are necessary in its manufacture be permanently closed. The legs of the suit are indicated at 2 and arms at 3, the-arm terminating in mittens or gloves 4. A sheet of lining material 51s cemented or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the body portion 1 of the i suit along parallel lines so as to form a number of pockets 6 which extend about the waist-line of the said body portion and arranged within each of these pockets is a body encirclingring 7, whichrings serve to hold the body portion distended at the waistline and consequently spaced from the wearer. v

By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawclosed at their lower ends and permanently -itted to the lower portion of each leg 2 is a boot 8 having an inner wall 9 of lead or other suitable material of sufficient bulk to maintain the wearer of the Vsuit in upright position in the water. The body portion of f vthe suit is preferably providedv ateach side The invention further aims to provide, in

a suitof this class, a helmet so constructed 'that the wearer ofthe suit may view his sur- E roundings and may supply himself, with lfood and breath freely although the helmet f will be automatically closed' in a water-tight manner -should the wearers vhead become 2 v submerged.

with a pocket 10 in which may be placed containers for food and drink, and as will be presentlymade apparent these pockets are normally covered and protected although access may be readily had thereto.

The helmet mentioned above includes a flexible hood 11 which is preferably of the same material as the body of the suit and understanding of the invention j reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in;

this hood is so formed as to completely cover the head of the wearer of the suit except for theface, the hood being open at its front,

c n l as indicated at 12. Below its neck portion view of the suit applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the suit. Fig. 3-is a! vertical sectional view through one ofthei legs and its boot. Fig. 4 is a'perspectiveg view of the helmet. Fig. 5 is a perspectivej view of the collar of the suit. Fig. 6 is ai vertical front to rear sectional view throughl the helmet. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverseg sectional view on the line 7-7 of. Fig. 6.;

'l face ofthe wearer of the suit and to be held the hood is provided with alcape 13 having shoulder portions provided with arm holes 14'. The arm holes 14 may be closed about the arms by a hook and eye, or similar fastenin 15. The cape 13 is open at its front as in icated at 16 but is adapted t`o be closed by a hook and eye fastening, or the like, indicated at 17. Arranged within the open front 12 of the hood of the helmet is a face'- pad 18 designed to rest firmly against the in such engagement by means of straps 19 upon the back of the hood which straps are ings it will be observed that the legs 2 are of--any considerable quantity of water into the hood. The casing 21 is partly closed at its front as indicated at 22;l the upper portion of the front being, however,'open as at 23." The casingisfurther provided with a partition 24 located in spaced relation to the lfront 22 and having an opening 25 located opposite and of approximatel the same size as the opening 23. Between te front 22 and 26 and is also provided with a similar portion 27 located rearwardly of the partition 24. It will be observed that the portion 27 has its lower end located below the lower end of the portion 26.

vHinged at the lower side of the opening 25 in the partition 24 is a flap-valve 28 to which is pivoted the upper end of a rod 29. This rod at its lower end is pivotally connected to afloat 30 which is arranged within the tubular extension 26 and is adapted to frise and fall therein. It will be observed that thevalve 28 is normally held in open position by the Weight of the ioat 30, 1n which position it rests upon the lower wall of the opening 23. It will be understood, however, that should the helmet be submerged the'water entering the extension 26 will cause the float 30 torise, thereby lclosing-the flap-valve 28 so asV to prevent the entrance of waterinto the casing 21. The tubular extension 27 is provided interiorly with a valve-seat 31 and withV a bracket 32 which is located beneath thejseat and slidably receives the stem 33 of a valve 34.- The body of the valve 34 is ofsome material which will lioat and while it normally rests in open position, it will be understood that should the helmet be submerged, it would be immediately closed. This valve is provided for the purpose of automatically draining the casing 21 should any water by chance enterI the casing throughthe openings 23 and 25. It w1ll now be apparent that the wearer of the suit may view his surroundings through the openings 23 andv 25 and that even should he be submerged for y a'QfeW minutes at a time he would suier no. discomfort, for the reason that thevalve 28 is` arranged so as to automatically close and exclude the water as soon as the tubular extension 26passes below the water level.- In order that the hood of the helmet may be secured around the neck of the wearer, without causing discomfort, there is provided in connection with the suit a collar which is preferably ofA light material and which consists of two sections 35 each formed to fitA onesideof the neck and' these sections are .overturned or flared at their upper and lower edges as-indicated at 36 so as not to be liable to injure the vneck or the clothlng.

The sections are hingedlyconnected as at 37 and one of the sections is provided with arelatively narrow tongue 38 having a number of openings 39 therein designed to' re- I ceive the end of a resilient latch-finger 40 whichv is secured as at 41 to the other section of the collar. The said end of the latchlinger projects through the opening 41 in the last mentioned section and may be engaged detachably in the openings 39 where- -by to adjust the collar to the neck of the partition 24 the Acasingl is provided upon its y under side with a depending tubular portion p and 6 of the dr/awings that the collar 1s to I be applied about thel neck and. that the neck portion of the body of the suit is to be gath- "er'ed about the collar and above the` lower wearer. Y

It will be observed by' reference to Figs. 2

flared edge portion thereof. It will also be observed( by reference to Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings that the neck portion of the helmet is provided at intervals -with loops 42 through which is threadedv :a cord 43 which ma be tightened and vtied for the purpose o holding the neck portion of the y hood about the collar.

From the foregoing descriptionof the invention it will bescenthat there is provided a life saving suit which may be readily and quickly put on and which willv effectually protect the wearer from the elements and from the water and which is -in itself buoyant due to the fact that its waist or body portion is spaced from the wearer. It will also be seen that the helmet is so constructed that it will automatically close in a water-tight` manner' when submerged so that water cannot reach the Wearers face.

Whilenaturally the chief use'of the suit will be in stormy or rough weather, rendering it necessary to wear the helmet, .the use of the helmet is-unnecessary in calm weather and under such conditions it may be detached or removed and a ring 44 which is attached at the top of the hood 11 may be engaged` with a snap hook 45 secured upon one of the shoulders of the body portion of the suit.

. Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is f 1. In a life saving suit including a body portion and a neck portion, a rigid adjustable collar adapted for disposal within the neck opening and having a concave peripheral surface into which the material of the lneck of the suit is adapted to be drawn.-

2. In a life saving suit including a body having a neck opening and a neck portion surrounding the same, a collar-comprising adjustably connected sections having a concave peripheral surface into which the necky portion is adapted to be drawn.

iso

3. In life saving suit, including a Ibod portion having a neck opening, and a nec portion surrounding the opening, a collar disposed Within the neck` opening and comprising hingedly connected sections, and

means adjustably connecting the sections at their free ends, the said sections having oo ncaved peripheries receiving the said neck portion. V 3

4. In life saving apparatus, a helmet-'comprising a hood open at the front, a casing hood and having an opening, a tubular ex' extending from the open front of the hood,

the casing. being provided with an opening,

a valve movable to position to close the said 15 tension from the under side of the hood, a valve movable into and out of position to ,f close the openin inthe casing, and a oat connected with t e valveand located in said extensionlv and arranged to close the valve When lifted.

6. In lifesaving apparatus, a helmet including ahood, a casing extending from the hood, the casing having an opening, a valve y arranged within the casing and Vmovable to position closing or exposing the opening, a float connected with the valve and arran ed to move the same to closed positionw en elevated, and a drainvalve within the casing havinga normal tendencytoward movement to o en position.

7. ln li e saving apparatus, a suit including a body portion having a neck opening, a rigid adjustable collar disposed within the neck o ening, the said neck opening being. adapted to contract about the collar, and a helmet including a hood having a cape, and a connecting portion, the said neck portion being provided at intervals with loops, and a draw-string Iitted through the loops and adapted to contract the neck portion about the said collar.

8. ln life saving apparatus, a helmet comprising` a hood open at the front, a casing having an end secure in the said open front of the hood, a padded lining surrounding the opening in the hood, the casing having an inlet, a valve movable' to close the inlet, and a float connected with the valve.

ln testimony whereof l ailx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

rnnnnion a. nonnrfrs. [La] Witnesses: i

AFiano A., M'AY, J. A. MAY. 

